No Matter
by Lady Lydia Crawley
Summary: 1898: How will Violet Crawley react when she hears the gender of her newest Grandchild? (this is written in Violets point of view and i apoligise if the text is squished!) would really appreciate constructive critisism!


The silence was deadly and not even a knife could cut the tension that  
was plaguing the room like an army of rats getting ready to swarm. It  
certainly didn't help that no one had come down to give news of the  
mother in labor.

Cora, the Countess of Grantham was currently upstairs  
giving birth to her fourth child in which everyone hoped would be a  
boy. Occasionally, loud piercing screams could be heard coming from the  
bedroom which made her husband Lord Grantham, wince and move several  
steps towards the drawing room door, in which everyone had gathered.  
This action was only settled by Robert's mother, the Dowager Countess,  
when she placed a hand on his shoulder and told him to sit down or talk  
a walk about the garden; both of these he refused to do until news was  
given about Cora. When a midwife finally did come down to give the good  
news, Robert had sprinted upstairs as if his life had depended on it  
and of course everyone else had to wait until the father had seen the  
baby. After Robert had seen his new child, he re-entered the drawing  
room to find the remainder of the occupants, standing up, waiting to  
hear the news of the baby, mother and of course the ever so daunting  
answer to the question that would secure the future of Downton Abbey;  
"a son or a daughter?"

When Robert had finally composed himself, tears of joy hurtling down  
his cheeks, Violet, the Dowager Countess had assumed the baby was a boy.

"Well Robert?" She asked her son in anticipation.

Robert replied with a sniff, "Its a girl!" and walked over to the grog  
tray to pour himself what he thought was a well earned whiskey, when in  
fact Cora was the one who had done all the hard work.

Violet looked uneasy as she watched her sons reaction. She was  
convinced that his joy would soon turn to anguish at the thought of not  
having a son. But it did not. So Violet took on the daunting task of  
meeting her new grand daughter.

As she walked upstairs and towards the bedroom, she thought to herself.  
There could have been a mistake made when the child was born. She could  
in fact be a son. Cora had insisted on sending over three American  
nurses for the birth, and these nurses are always filled with awful  
modern ideas of births and never opting for the more natural way of  
delivery, the way it has been done for generations. Perhaps something  
had gone wrong then.

Presently, Violet knocked on the door and entered.  
She looked around and saw the Countess sitting up in bed holding a  
bundle of blankets, presumably what the child was wrapped in.

"Im glad you are here!" said Cora.

"Poor Woman!" thought Violet. She was probably still addled from the birth and thought she was her own mother.

"Its only me" replied Violet to her daughter-in-law's kind gesture.

She walked over to the bed and peeked in at the blankets Cora was holding out to her.

"You can hold her if you like" smiled Cora.

Violet took as step back in fear.

"No...No No, i wont, you keep it my dear"

Cora pulled the baby back towards her and smiled down at her little  
girl. Violet took this opportunaty to sit down on the edge of the bed,  
smoothing out the creases before she sat. She then pursued Cora with  
her eyes.

"Now then my dear, are you sure it is a girl?"

Cora looked horrified.

"Of course its a girl"

Cora looked at Violet and saw her sigh.

"Im sorry its not a boy...but that really doenst matter does it"

Violet looked at Cora in shock.

"My dear, i dont know wether it is the after effect of the birth or  
weather you are deliberatly being stubborn! of course it matters. I am  
afraid to tell you Cora that up until now, the future of Downton, lived  
inside you...now, you have given birth to a girl and Robert seems to  
be incapable of realising that he has no immediate heir, presumably  
because he has been drinking all the fumes that come out of  
this...burden!"

"This burden Violet, just happens to be my daughter, and if you cant  
say anything nice about her then your company in no longer needed or  
wanted"

Violet looked shocked at the tone of her daughter-in law's comment.  
Nobody in this house seemed sane enough to realise the consequence of  
this baby's gender. Violet took a deep breath and sighed.

"well at least you are young...there is still plenty of time for a son!"

Cora looked up and saw the fear in Violet's eyes. She sighed for self encouragment.

"Thats the other thing...i cant have any more children"

Violet looked down at her walking stick that was leaned aginst the bed.  
That was that! Cora could not have any more children and a new heir  
would have to be found. It was such an understatement, giving birth to  
sons. One would presume that it was possible to give birth to as many  
as it took for the heir to be born, but that was not the case. Some  
women just do not produce heirs.

"I see" She said.

Then, much to her own suprisement, she took the baby from Cora and held  
her to her chest. She was a tiny thing with a clump of curly golden  
hair and shining bright blue eyes. She looked rather like her own  
daughter Rosamund, when she was born. Violet smiled at the tiny being,  
who reached a minute hand up to her. Violet took gently hold of her  
grand daughters hand and shook it a little.

"No Matter!" Violet relied, her eyes filled with tears of joy.


End file.
